Automatic car stop or brake.



C L MLLE. Awww@ @mi 3.105 APPLICATION FILED NGV, IU. I V1,201,849.

UH BRAKE. alsA amewmmnn 31.1916.

Patented Oct. l?, 1916.

2 SHEES-SHEET l.

.W W n a 'd Zier wi/listener s Q F. 1. MILLER.

AUTOMATIC CAR STOP 0R BHME.

APPLICATION min Nov. la. 1913. xeniwfn mln 11, me;

2 SHEETSHSEEM 3 n veA/Lto z,

e. Q. QfQ-I @M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED J. MILLER, OF SUSIE, WYOMING, ASSIGNR 0F ONE-HALF T0 CHARLES C. LEHMER, 0F MARBLETON, WYOMING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed November 1B, 1913, Serial No. 801,718. Renewed March 31, 1918. Serial No. 88,172.

To all lc/mm 'it may] concern.'

15e. it known that I, liunn J. MILLER, a citizen oi the linited States, residing at Susie, in the county of Lincoln and State. of Wyoming, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car Stops or Brakes, of which thc following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic car stop or brake, designed particularly for use in connection with mining or other cars traveling on tracks extending along slopes or inclined planes, the object of the invention being to provide means whereby when a train breaks apart and one or more cars begin to run away down the slope, automatic means will be thrown into action to stop the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel brake or stop mechanism on each car, including.;r a brake device to engage cooperating brake devices in the track, together with a latch for holding the brake device on the car normally elevatedand inactive, and -means enacting with the latch whereby cars the latch upon the car which has broken away will be retracted to free the brake de` vice thereof for action, while the mechanism on the car will remain inactive in order to prevent dannige or deraihnent of the car or cars still remaining coupled to each other and to the draft cable..

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying Vdrawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of adjoining,lr cars showing the application of the invention.' Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of one of the cars showing the parts in normal position. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinali section on the line of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showingv the brake device on the car released fo' action and the parts of thc friction coup er disconnected. Figs. 5 and (i are views of the parts of thc friction coupler on un enlarged scale.

l Referring to the drawings, a milling or other similar car, provided as usual with the draw bar 2. adapted to be connected by link-and-pin or other desired in the event of the sepa-ration of hook shaped brake` in advance therlf. ttudinally Irod 12 extends through a transverse perforation 1S.

1 designates coupling devices 3 to other similar cars, as in the connection of a number ofcars together to form a train. .\rranged at suitable intervals between the rails 4 of the track` at points where rails.l extend along a slope or inclined plane` are relatively stationary brake members 5, which are secured to the ties (i, and each of which is provided with an inclined npstanding projection 7.

Each car equipped with the invention is provided with a bail-shaped grapple or brake member 8 for engagement with the projections 7 of the stationary brake members 5, the free ends of the arms of said brake member being pivotally mounted upon some suitable portion of the car, as upon an axle 0. The member 8 normally lies against and in parallel relation to the bottom of the car and is adapted to be released and to drop by gravity so as to engage one of the brake members 5 to prevent the car. in thc event of its separation from the train or another car, from descending the slope. i

'.lhe braking member 8 is adapted to be held elevated or in retracted position by a dog or hitch 10, which engages the cross bar 11 thereof. This d'bg yr latch member is connected with a longiextending controlling rod 1Q. The guide tube 12). suitably secured to the under side of the car body or to the draw bar 2, and projects at its opposite ends beyond said tube. 'lhe spring 14 is inclosed within the tube and terminally engages suitable abutments 15 and 16 on the tube and rod to slide the rod in rearward direction and maintain it in normal position with the dogor latch 10 in engagement with the cross bar 11 ot' the brake device 8.

The ends of the rod'terminate in fiat tened reduced portions 17, each having a To the rear end of the rod is attached one member .11) of a friction coupling device, adapted for cooperation with a companion coupling member 20. the forward end of the rod of each car being provided with such a, coupling member 20. which is provided with a pivoted bail or link 2l detachably engaged b v a snap hook *22 on a chain or other tlexible connection 22' `bavi'ng a ring 3l or the like engaging the perforation IS 'in the end of the rod, it being umlerstood lthat the couplnig member Q upon the front end of a earl' is :olaptod for engagement with` a ronphngl lnuxnberi 19, on| a prerumhngfear'. rghevsrifiy) yhook or equivalent connertion between thi` coupling chain 2f and coupling member lu applied or a new eine snhfatitnted in itt place.

lCaiL-h conpling imhiber lll 'has a bifuroated. rear portion 2 which reoeirenand einbraigesi the rvdnreil end of the ro'd 12 and pivotallj,r oonnerted therewith iby a v.bolt 2.6, which prinsen through the woning iin inthe saidk rnd of the rod and ithrough registering openings in the arme` ofthe bifurcationand has ital lirward portion formed to [n'ovide` a lonzg'itndinalliy tapered tongue 27 which is;

adapted to tit within a slot i4 in `the coat-b ing coupling' member Qi). Th;l slot 2Q in the nwnilwr 20 is corres-Spinalingly and reversely tapered to the taper of the n'ieniber 115), whereby a rietional bindinnr artionibetween 353 the aides, 'longue andi njalllsmlf tb@ SlULiS the upper surface of the tongue i.n'iitnted to nornnllijr p hold :saidL coupling: numbers Conner-,teil flgwiin longitudinal affparatioln The inenihe `114i) isA adapted to he plated n'itlritii vslot in alinenient with and to he slipped downwardly intoiengagenrent therev with. `thun effecting a 'coupling,oonneotiorr lre'fe ablyr the nember 419 is proilidedjiiith a atop ill) to hole the member downward armament. i l i i ln prartiuel when twosolijwniore ar; a ronphwl together to tin'in awt ainlqthr` Iorivard 0nd of the controlling ,'l'odl iofreaeh rear oar is Coi'ln'ertdd by'itlie liain'li and 49 an assori'ated irirtion device with the rear her 8 thus preventing t separatioi'i against' the ree vr-ard, but not Snflirieiit to i end of the fontrlling rod l2 of a precedingy rar. AS before described. the Spring li nmnially holds the rod 12 retreated, and thiA la'rh ill in' engagement with the hrahe mein` hei fldaftt'er from swinging doxriuiqrl-d "into f4the'x 'l'iatllr ot; Jthe ln'alce invnihurs 5, and the 'coup intr member 1) is frirtionallgrY engin" by ythe "memberl i201, "lun-ehiY saidrfmp'llng members are 1held ialA engagement between the ineihere Sl. and QU ila` sollicitent lo hohl them; i'i-on'i i lopjritilfil'inaln p tahcje 'ob the sipri'ng 14 when therod 'L'.iiyrlraivn ortion of AQaid coupling inenille tively greater pulling or i the member 2O oefins as when 'the ebupling 5 hrvalrs,'the said Walls: ofh'ejlstnttedo irritated. portion of said member l() being aoanted 'ander strain to Spread' and; release said member from tl'1e`membet1il when ah ram-eea' pulling; strain fallsftheeon. 4IL

riflnenE rela-l thixrofor'ertlioeiinpling between 'adjoining 20 from undue i frevelit ySeparwf aft strani upon travel of the released car up track will cease Vand ,the car egin to travel ihaehhiprd by gravity". Asa result the chain connection 23 will be drawnnpon and will pnll the rod 1,2 forward against the resist `ance of Hiring-1l to retract the latch l() and' freethe ln'alie member 8 'For anton. tic action. AS soon as this,l occurs 'the rod l! hzisnno'red forward to its full extent and an inrrei-ased pulling strain comes upon the rhain mnneetion 23; the coupling member 2Q will he pnlledapart from the coupling member 19, thus disconnecting rod 12 'from the similar rod of the preveding ar so as `to :avoid damage twthe members of the brake gearing on the ears or prevent the iaxmor ears whiel'i remain fastened to the draft c-able from being derailed or otherwise irljinod Ae soon :is the brake member 8 is releawcd by the latch, it will of course be niiderstoml that it will drop downward and `enxr'tre one of the brake members 5 in the tradi', than positively stopping the descent of the raribelore it can attain any considerableinnmintof speed or momentum.

From theA foregoing lescxiption, taken in f-oinieulion .with the aer'onipanying drawings, the ronetr'netion `and mode of Operation otniy ,automatic safety stop or brake Anieifhamiem lol mining and other like cars will he readily understood, and it will be seen that a safety brnlreniechanisrn is pro- "rided whereby in the eventof contingencies oi' `the eliararter mentioned `in ears which may", he `'freed {froni the draft mechanism will be antoinatipfillgy' stopped and prevented from dashing; Adorian the inclined track-very, niherrgby goidrntstto life and property will be) oliviatei i p i i i v M1, ln al safety stop or brake tor-cars, the

Combination olf a trackway, a brake along the `traf'lgway, `a car :nlaplodto travel. upon "Said traffic-waag a brake device upon the car, l; a `longitndinarlli/ ,minable ,rod carrying a `latch tn lioldtlie` brake derie, inoperative, a ASpring lar-ting on 'the rodtothold the latch in normal engaging poeiitionT and a coupling device iior frfnineoizlg Said rod t0 an element to' iiliioh the ear is coupledj saidconnection embodying ronpling membereraidapted for disenggagvnient 4olloriing the actuation of the rodI against the resistance `ofA the spring to retract thelatch. i

ln afeon'ibination 'with :a car, a stop nwniber onlhe ear-,alat'chffor `holding said gip :man er inoperativena qontrollifng rod 'long 4ndxrially niovablefand con eetedowith the latch, tepring for holdin t le latch 1n normal engaging position, an A a eonnocting elementl embodying coupling ;4 members a laptcd tol lseparate' after' theI rod has been l moved 1against'the resistanleyoffthe spring to a sliflinlelit."(leg2ree yto retract the, latch.

vdegree to retract the latch.

.members being adapted for automatic senaration after the rod has been moved against the realstance of the' Spring to a. snfhcient 4. An automatic safety Stop for cars cluililig a pivotcil gravity movable stop member on the ear, a longitudinally Inovable rod on tlie car, a latch devicecontrolleil. by the rod for holding the stop member re tracted, a spring acting on the rod to normally maintain the latch in engaged posi tion, a coupling member on the rod, and a connection having a cooperating coupling member adapted for engagement with the first-named coupling member and for separation therefrom after the rod has been drawn upon to a 'sulcient degree against the resistance of the nkipring to retract the latch. f

A safety stop For cara including a brake member on the car, a longitudinally movable rod on the oar, a latch controlled thereby to engage and hold said brake member retracted, a spring acting on the rod to normally maintain the latch in engaging position, a coupling member on the rod, and a connection having a enacting coupling menibm', said coupling members having an intcrlitting frictional engagex'nent and being adapted for automatic separation after the roel haa` been lrawn upon to a sullicient degree against the rcaietance of the spring to retract the latch.

1n testimoni,Y whereof l allix. my Signah ture in presence of two witnesses.

FRED .,l. MILLER fitness-es EDWARD N. ZlnANY, JOHN RAY. 

